Ok, so I like electronic dance music, more specifically Trance. When I started in the 1990's, the US was a bit behind in that department.
Still, with San Francisco and San Jose nearby, I've had some opportunities to see some great EDM/Trance DJs. Back in the early 2000's, they sadly played club music in the US that was nowhere close to the hits they had composed and were known for, but over the years, as Trance started becoming more popular, those DJs finally started playing their good tunes in the US too, and maybe from 2004 on, it's only been getting better. Popsicle Halloween 2004 was really the beginning of great music parties in the San Francisco Area, and thankfully things have gotten even better since then
As a matter of fact, after another 10 years (2015 and beyond) the good news is that Trance has grown quite a following in the US, and places like the SF Bay Area, and while Trance has been declared dead a few times in the last 10 years, it's still going strong here.
Trance Family SF is definitely strong in the area, we've been getting more big trance parties every year, including many top DJs that come visit us what feels like every other week now (as of 2018-2019), and through those events, I made many friends in Trance Family SF. Thanks to you all.
Over those years, I got the chance to meet a few of my favourite DJs, including Armin more than once, and my last hobby has been to work on lights for my shirt and pants (version 3) and (version 4)
π
2017-11-24 01:01
in Clubbing, Dreamstate, Festivals
I elected to miss Dreamstate Socal last year to spend time with family, but I figured I'd give it a try this year.
I was totally not going to be driving to or from LA during thanksgiving. Flying southwest to a nearby Ontario airport was actually a decent option, but I elected to fly my own butt there and fly directly to San Bernandino's now defunct military airport, which therefore has a very nice long runway as well as a great FBO (folks in charge of transient traffic, parking and refueling).
From San Bernandino's airport, it was a short lyft ride to the crappy hotel I ended up at but was walking distance to the venue (I figured it would be better to avoid driving and parking issues even if in the end it wouldn't have been too much a problem).
I got a VIP ticket, so getting in wasn't too bad. I did get a puzzled security person when he saw all my electronics to run my shirt and pants, but in the end, he let me in nonetheless. The main issue was the poor information on where around the (big) block, the entrance was located. The first night, a lot of people (myself included) walked around for 15mn around in search of the entrance.
my shirt and pants worked fine those 2 days
Once in, they did a good job with the stages, albeit they were a bit small compared to the number of tickets sold. Even with a VIP ticket, I just couldn't get in an enclosed stage with limited capacity on the 2nd day.
The Lineup was solid...
the VIP area had a nice light tree
I think I fit right at home, there :)
they tried to sell me a new pair, but I was already equipped :)
DJ Tech equipment:
Pictures with people:
thankfully I wasn't the only person lit up, I found some 'colleagues' :)
Day #1 DJs:
ATB
Hi Armin! :)
hard to get pictures where you can actually see them :)
PvD was there to finish the night
almost rare to see him smile like this :)
Day #1 Video highlights:
After a good first night, I walked back to my crappy hotel (really motel quality) for some well deserved sleep and rest. I then came back the next day around 18:00 for round two:
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